R309-700-13. Financial Evaluations

(1) The Board considers it a proper function to assist and give direction to project applicants in obtaining funding from such State, Federal or private financing sources as may be available to achieve the most effective utilization of resources in meeting the needs of the State. This may also include joint financing arrangements with several funding agencies to complete a total project.

(2) Hardship Grants will be evidenced by a grant agreement.

(3) In providing any form of financial assistance in the form of a loan, the Board may purchase bonds of the applicant only if the bonds are accompanied by a legal opinion of recognized municipal bond counsel to the effect that the bonds are legal and binding under applicable Utah law (including, if applicable, the Utah Municipal Bond Act). For bonds of $150,000 or less the Board will not require this opinion.

(a) In providing any form of financial assistance in the form of a loan, the Board may purchase either a taxable or non-taxable bonds; provided that it shall be the general preference of the Board to purchase bonds issued by the applicant only if the bonds are tax exempt and are accompanied by a legal opinion of recognized municipal bond counsel to the effect that interest on the bonds is exempt from federal income taxation. Such an opinion must be obtained by the applicant in the following situations:

(i) Bonds which are issued to finance a project which will also be financed in part at any time by the proceeds of other bonds which are exempt from federal income taxation.

(ii) Bonds which are not subject to the arbitrage rebate provisions of Section 148 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or successor provision of similar intent), including, without limitation, bonds covered by the "small governmental units" exemption contained in Section 148(f)(4)(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or any successor provision of similar intent) and bonds which are not subject to arbitrage rebate because the gross proceeds from the loan will be completely expended within six months after the issuance of such bonds.

(b) In any other situations, the Board may purchase taxable bonds if it determines, after evaluating all relevant circumstances including the applicant's ability to pay, that the purchase of the taxable bonds is in the best interests of the State and applicant.

(c) If more than 25 percent of the project is to serve industry, bond counsel must evaluate the loan to ensure the tax exempt status of the loan fund.

(d) Revenue bonds purchased by the Board shall be secured by a pledge of water system revenues, and it is the general policy of the Board that the pledge of water revenues for the payment of debt service (principal and/or interest) on a particular revenue bond be on a parity with the pledge of those water revenues as security for the debt service payments on all other bonds or other forms of indebtedness which are secured by the water revenues.

(4) The Board will consider the financial feasibility and cost effectiveness of the project in detail. The financial capability assessment must be completed as a basis for the review. The Board may require that a full capacity assessment be made for a given project. The Board will generally use these reports and assessments to determine whether a project will be Authorized to receive a loan, credit enhancement agreement, interest buy-down agreement, or hardship grant (Reference R309-700-9, -10 and -11). If a project is Authorized to receive a loan, the Board will establish the portion of the construction cost to be included in the loan and will set the terms for the loan. The Board will require the applicants to repay the loan as rapidly as is reasonably consistent with the financial capability of the applicant. It is the Board's intent to avoid repayment schedules which would exceed the design life of the project facilities.

(5) Normal engineering and investigation costs incurred by the Department of Environmental Quality or Board during preliminary project investigation and prior to Board Authorization will not become a charge to the applicant if the project is found infeasible, denied by the Board, or if the applicant withdraws the Application prior to the Board's Authorization. If the credit enhancement agreement or interest buy-down agreement does not involve a loan of funds from the Board, then administrative costs will not be charged to the project. However, if the project is Authorized to receive a loan or grant of funds from the Board, all costs from the beginning of the project will be charged to the project and paid by the applicant as a part of the total project cost. If the applicant decides not to build the project after the Board has Authorized the project, all costs accruing after the Authorization will be reimbursed by the applicant to the Board.

(6) The Board shall determine the date on which the scheduled payments of principal and interest will be made. In fixing this date, all possible contingencies shall be considered, and the Board may allow the system one year of actual use of the project facilities before the first repayment of principal is required.

(7) The applicant shall furnish the Board with acceptable evidence that the applicant is capable of paying its share of the construction costs during the construction period.

(8) LOANS AND INTEREST BUY-DOWN AGREEMENTS ONLY - The Board may require, as part of the loan or interest buy-down agreement, that any local funds which are to be used in financing the project be committed to construction prior to or concurrent with the committal of State funds.

(9) The Board will not forgive the applicant of any payment after the payment is due.

(10) The Board will require a debt service reserve account be established by the applicant at or before the loan is closed. Deposits to that account shall be made at least annually in the amount of one-tenth of the annual payment on the bond(s) purchased by the Board and shall continue until the total amount in the debt service reserve fund is equal to the annual payment. The debt service reserve account shall be continued until the bond is retired. Annual reports/statements will be required. Failure to maintain the reserve account will constitute a technical default on the bond(s) and may result in penalties being assessed. Annual reports/statements will be required.

(11) The Board will require a capital facilities replacement reserve account be established at or before the loan is closed. Deposits to that account shall be made at least annually in the amount of five percent (5%) of the applicant's annual drinking water system budget, including depreciation, unless otherwise specified by the Board at the time of loan authorization, until the loan is repaid. This fund shall not serve as security for the payment of principal or interest on the loan. The applicant shall adopt such resolutions as necessary to limit the use of the fund to construct capital facilities for its water system and to notify the Board prior to making any disbursements from the fund so the Board can confirm that any expenditure is for an acceptable purpose. The applicant will not need the consent of the Board prior to making any expenditure from the fund. Failure to maintain the reserve account will constitute a technical default on the bond(s) and may result in penalties being assessed. Annual reports/statements will be required.

(12) If the Board is to purchase a revenue bond, the Board will require that the applicant's water rates be established such that sufficient net revenue will be raised to provide at least 125% or such other amount as the Board may determine of the total annual debt service.